Moving to Texas – Relocation Overview

Are you considering long distance moving to Texas? If you are looking for information on the area, and help with your move to Texas then allow us to guide you. We will provide you with up to 10 free and personalised quotes from top experienced moving companies who will safely transport your possessions from door to door, inter-state or internationally.

Located in the mid-south of the United States, Texas state has natural borders provided by The Rio Grande, Red River and Sabine River with Oklahoma to the north, Louisiana and Arkansas to the east, New Mexico on the west, and Mexico to the south. There are three main climate areas, humid east Texas, the temperate North West and the subtropical South-West.

it is very similar to the Southern and Southwestern parts of the country. It is the second largest state in the country, both in area as well as in population. Texas received independence from Mexico in 1836. It remained an independent state for almost a decade and joined the United States as the 28th state in 1845.

A look at the geography of the state gives one a brief idea of the various regions that one would be exposed to once you move to Texas. Texas is spread over a wide range of features and timelines. It is very difficult to categorize the entire state into any region, geographically, or even economically or culturally. It borders Oklahoma in the north, Louisiana and Arkansas in the east, New Mexico in the west and some of the Mexican states in the South. The Rio Grande, Red river and Sabine river provide natural state borders. The diversity in the state could easily help it qualify as an independent country.

Infrastructure / Job Prospects

If you are interested in moving to Texas to work, you will find the job prospects are excellent. The state is known around the world for its energy industry, Ports and Aeronautics, having a gross product of $1.09 trillion (2006) and the second largest economy in the US after California. It boasts 33 billionaires and is home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other state. Several Fortune 500 company headquarters have recently made a long distance move to Texas.

The energy industry, for which Houston in particular is world renowned, benefits from abundant supplies of both oil and natural gas (around one third of the US supply of oil), however it is lesser known that the state is also leading initiatives in renewable and alternative energy sources. Texas for instance produces more wind power than any other state, as well as solar power generation and experimental technology like wave-powered generators.

Texas has a large farming industry and can boast the highest national production of many farmed products including the leading US cotton crop, grains, wheat, corn and even watermelon! In addition to crops, the largest number of cattle (over 16 million) resides in the state.

Houston forms the backbone of the healthcare sector, with the local Texas Medical Center having the world’s largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions in addition to forming the base for a growing number of biomedical research and aerospace companies (most notably NASA).

In the last 5 years Texas state officials have emphasised the importance of economic development with initiatives like the Texas Enterprise Fund and the Texas Emerging Technology Fund to encourage businesses to move to Texas and provide investment to develop existing local businesses.

Dallas is well known for its technological developments and has a large information technology industry. Indeed it was the birthplace of the integrated circuit, fundamental to modern electronic devices. Round Rock in Austin is the headquarters of Dell and is known as “Silicon HillsвЂќ for its high concentration of technology companies.

Other state industries, include the 4th largest film industry. Many Hollywood studio production departments have decided relocating to Texas, specifically the Dallas-Fort Worth area, is the right move for them, and Austin has become one of the leading US film-making locations.

Climate

Another important factor that plays a role in making a decision to relocate is the climatic conditions in the state. Being a large state, Texas experiences several climate zones. However, in general it can be divided into the humid subtropical climate zone in the east, the temperate semi arid steppe climate zone in the northwest and the subtropical steppe climate zone in the western parts.

Maximum amount of greenhouse gases emission in the country is from Texas. It is the seventh largest greenhouse gases producer in the world, with the maximum emission of carbon dioxide. The refining and manufacturing activities which provide petroleum and plastic products to the entire country are responsible for this large amount of air contamination.

Living cost and Taxes

The growth of Texas can be attributed to its stable job market and relatively low housing and living costs. House prices in major cities such as Dallas and Houston have not risen at the sky-high rates of cities in other US states such as San Francisco in California.

Another factor encouraging interest in moving to Texas is the relatively low taxation, with a lack of a personal state income tax, and a light touch with regard to business regulation. Following the same pattern as its taxation, Texas has a minimal local government, with the Texas Legislature meeting only bi-annually. Adding to these man-made factors, moving to Texas, and trade with the rest of the US, is made easier due to its central geographic location and the favourable climate in many areas of the state.

Ports

Unsurprisingly, with its important geographic position, Texas has a strong port infrastructure and dynamic export industry. It was ranked the number one state by export revenues for the 5th year in a row in 2006 with exports totalling $150.8 billion (representing a growth of over 17 percent from 2005). A large amount of Texas’s export strength can be attributed to Houston’s status as the largest US port for commerce and the sixth-largest port in the world in terms of cargo volume. Containers move to Texas everyday, bringing in goods internationally and exporting US produce to the world market.

Major airports

The largest airport in the state, Dallas-Fort Worth International (DFW) can also lay claim to being the second largest in the United States and fourth largest airport in the world. It serves nearly 40 international destinations and has also been rated “the best air cargo airport in the world” by Air Cargo World.

Second-largest falls to the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, which serves a large number of routes to Mexico in addition to other internationally important cities. Further Texan cities benefiting from international airports include San Antonio, Austin (Austin-Bergstrom), El Paso and Midland.

Important Cities and Population Density

Texas has the second highest population after California with 23.5 million residents, but covers an area of over 261,000 square miles (678,000 km?) making it the second largest state in the Union geographically after Alaska.

Dallas and Houston form the two largest metropolitan areas and are truly global cities, although San Antonio has the second largest population in the state.

Texas Facts

The state’s name is derived from taysha, a Caddoan Indian word meaning вЂњHello FriendвЂќ and was used by the Spanish Explorers on encountering the friendly local tribes.

Texas is unusual in that it is considered to be part of both the American South and the South West, due to a unique combination of its history and the huge geographical area it covers. Anyone visiting Texas will notice it retains strong cultural elements from both regions.

Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836 and existed as an independent Republic until 1845, when it joined the United States as the 28th state. Texas is one of only 4 independent states to enter the US federation (the others were Vermont California and Hawaii).

People are often surprised to learn that Texas has been a multi-cultural state from its inception. With a large immigrant population moving to Texas for the many academic institutions and the strong biomedical, energy and aerospace industries, modern Texas offers a truly international lifestyle.

African Americans historically counted for one third of the population and many areas have a white protestant heritage gained from ancestors who moved to Texas from Great Britain and Ireland. German, Polish, Swedish, Norwegian, Czech and French immigration also played its part before World War I and the influence of many countries is still noticeable in the architecture, culture and town names you will see throughout many counties. More recently the Asian population has grown, particularly in Houston and Dallas with many moving to Texas from India, China, Japan and Korea.

If you are planning a long distance move to Texas, we recommend you fill out the free estimate form which will allow you to specify details of the possessions you would like to take with you when you move. We will provide you with up to ten free, personalised quotes from pre-screened inter-state and international moving companies.